Season series: This is the second of five games between the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres. It's also the start of a home-and-home that concludes Saturday at TD Garden. Milan Lucic and Torey Krug each scored twice when Boston won 5-2 in Buffalo on Oct. 23.

Big story: The Sabres have won consecutive games once this season, the finale of the Ron Rolston/Darcy Regier era against the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 12 and the first game with Ted Nolan and Pat LaFontaine against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 15. They have a chance to do it again Thursday and make a statement against one of the NHL's top teams.

Team Scope:

Bruins: With defenseman Adam McQuaid not ready to return, Boston recalled David Warsofsky from Providence of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and reassigned Kevan Miller. Had Miller played in a 10th game, he couldn't have been sent back to the AHL without having to first pass through waivers.

One player on the blue line the Bruins never have to worry about is Zdeno Chara, who's versatile enough to set up in a forward slot on the power play. That's where he scored both goals in a 2-0 win Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, with Tuukka Rask recording a 21-save shutout.

"It wasn't pretty all the time, it was kind of just pucks bouncing all over the place but we got the goals and power plays, stepped up, and [Chara] got those goals we needed and killed a couple of penalties too there," Rask said.

"It wasn't pretty, but it was a good effort from everybody and we need that."

Sabres:Ryan Miller was flawless Tuesday, save for a 36-second stretch early in the second period when Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele beat him twice. Buffalo rallied, however. Steve Ott halved the deficit midway through the second, and the Sabres erupted for a three-goal third and a 4-2 victory.

Matt Moulson's 12th goal of the season, on the power play, was the game-winner. He has six goals and 13 points in 21 games for the Sabres since being acquired from the New York Islanders for Thomas Vanek.

"I've really come to admire him not only as a player, but as a man. He's a true pro," Nolan said. "He comes to work. He has a great demeanor about him. He seems to really enjoy the game. He's one of those guys you like to have on your team for sure."

Who's hot:Jarome Iginla and David Krejci assisted on both of Chara's goals Tuesday. Iginla has two goals and four points in his past three games; Krejci has two goals and eight points in his past six games. … Moulson has goals in consecutive games. Tyler Ennis has three goals and two assists in his past six games. Matt Ellis had his first NHL goal since Jan. 13, 2012 to ice the win Tuesday.